Israel’s Rejection and God’s Purpose^(A)

^6 (B)But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For ^(C)they are not all Israel who are of Israel, ^7 (D)nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, ^(E)“In Isaac your seed shall be called.” ⁸ That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but ^(F)the children of the promise are counted as the seed. ⁹ For this is the word of promise: ^(G)“At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”

¹⁰ And not only this, but when ^(H)Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac ¹¹ (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of ^(I)Him who calls), ¹² it was said to her, ^(J)“The older shall serve the younger.” ¹³ As it is written, ^(K)“Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

Israel’s Rejection and God’s Justice

¹⁴ What shall we say then? ^(L)Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! ¹⁵ For He says to Moses, ^(M)“I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” ¹⁶ So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. ¹⁷ For ^(N)the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, ^(O)“For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” ¹⁸ Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He ^(P)hardens.

¹⁹ You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For ^(Q)who has resisted His will?”

Confess Christ Before Men^(A)

^32 (B)“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, ^(C)him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. ^33 (D)But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

Christ Brings Division^(E)

^34 (F)“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to ^(G)‘set^[a] a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; ³⁶ and ^(H)‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’

John the Baptist Sends Messengers to Jesus^(A)

11 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to ^(B)teach and to preach in their cities.